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The introduction of email has changed how we do business. Communication is quicker and easier than ever. But this also comes with a downside.

Because communication is so simple it's often less considered and perhaps not as effective as it could be. Think about your own inbox. How many emails do you get a day? Probably many hundreds. Everyone is in the same situation.

The world is drowning in emails. In 2017, 269 billion emails were sent and received each day, which, according to Statista, is set to rise to 320 billion per day by 2021. That's a lot of words and bloated inboxes.

Last year, there were 124.5 billion business emails sent each day and 111.1 billion consumer emails, according to research by Radicati.

To to cut through the email noise and achieve what it was intended for, your email needs to stand out and communicate your message effectively. Consider these tips on how to make your emails more effective to help make your message a success:

Get the subject line right

Before your email is even opened it is in competition with lots of other emails in your inbox. So, the subject line, needs to draw the reader in, above the other emails.

Grab the recipient's attention and make sure the subject line maintains meaning throughout the conversation. As the email thread expands, make relevant changes to the subject line as the relevancy changes, especially if there has been a long gap in between exchanges.

Make it as simple as possible for the reader to understand what the message is about and how they can help.

Be personal

The mass email approach is becoming increasingly less effective. Although it is time-consuming to do, you will reap the rewards of tailoring each email to the specific recipient. Of course, if you need to send the same information to a lot of people, you can standardise some of the information, but ensure you address the email to an individual. It will also help to tailor the start of the email to be specific to them and the relationship you have with them.

Size does matter

How many times have you opened an email and the length of it has filled you with despair? Think about that moment when you are writing an email to someone else. Size really does matter.

Initial emails, in particular, should be short and to the point. Provide the recipient with an overview of what you wish to discuss. If they want to receive in-depth detail on the subject, they can request it. If you have a lot of information to share, consider introducing it over several emails as the conversation progresses.

Proofread

Everything with email is so instant and it is tempting to click 'send' the minute you finish writing. But don't! Take a minute and go back over what you have written. Does what you have written make sense? Have you made any spelling or factual errors? It it's really important, try reading it aloud.
Some of these things might seem irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, but they can all affect how you are perceived by the reader and if they take you seriously, or not. Effective communication is often rooted in the quality of the message. Take your time to make sure it is as good as it can be.

Timing is important

This might not always be possible but try and consider when to send an email. Sending at different times of the day will increase the chances of your email not getting lost in a sea of emails. For example, Friday afternoons and evenings are difficult because people leave early for the weekend or have switched off from work.
Monday mornings are a high email traffic time as everyone returns to work, catches up with messages from the previous week and kick starts work for the new one. Think about the person who you are sending to, what time would suit them best and put them in the right frame of mind to receive your information?
Be relevant
Give the recipient all the relevant information they need to be able to action your email. If you are talking about specific information, including web links and any useful details. Keep it clear and concise but make it as little work as possible for them to get to grips with what you are saying.

Don't be all about business

Relationships are at the heart of good communication. People are more likely to read your email if you have a personal rapport with them. Don't only email people when you want something, ask them questions about their life, have some fun.

Also, send them information that might be useful for them, ask them questions on subjects that you feel they might have knowledge of. Make the recipient feel like more than a business contact and they will be more likely to read and respond to your more important emails.

Does it need to be sent?

Before writing and sending an email, really think about whether it needs to be sent. Is it worth clogging up an inbox with yet another email? Could the question you need to be asked in a later email? Do you really need the answer? Keep your communications on point and vital and the recipient will thank you for it.

Overall, you will learn what works best for you and the people you work and sell to, but these simple considerations might just help you to be a little more effective.